Ep. 411: Unveiling our NEW Dorm Room Collection with Frances Lacefield Hovis of Room 422

Summary

Episode Summary: Ep. 411: Unveiling our NEW Dorm Room Collection with Frances Lacefield Hovis of Room 422

Release Date: April 29, 2025

In Episode 411 of "How to Decorate", hosted by Caroline, Taryn, and Liz from Ballard Designs, listeners are introduced to an exciting collaboration with Frances Lacefield Hovis, the owner of Room 422. This episode delves deep into the creation and launch of Ballard Designs' new Dorm Room Collection, offering invaluable insights into dorm decorating essentials, business growth, and the synergy between Room 422 and Ballard Designs.

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1. Guest Introduction: Frances Lacefield Hovis of Room 422

The episode kicks off with Caroline announcing the arrival of Frances Lacefield Hovis, the visionary behind Room 422. Frances brings a wealth of experience from founding her dorm-focused brand in 2015, specializing in bed skirts, headboards, and other dorm essentials.

Caroline [00:34]: "We're launching a dorm collection and our guest this week is Frances Lacefield Hovis. She is the owner of Room 422 and our latest partner in our dorm collection."

2. The Genesis of Room 422

Frances shares the heartfelt origin story of Room 422, tracing back to her own college days at the University of Alabama. Frustrated by the lack of appealing dorm bedding options that adhered to dorm regulations, she took matters into her own hands with her mother's support.

Taryn [01:55]: "I could not find bedding that I liked. So we decided to make my own bedding. And so I made a slip-covered foam headboard that has Velcro on the back."

Starting with personalized projects for herself and her friends, Frances organically expanded her business through trunk shows across the Southeast. However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 posed significant challenges, leading her to pivot to virtual appointments and ultimately focus on growth alongside her personal life.

Taryn [04:38]: "Covid canceled every single show... I made my dining room a dorm room and had virtual appointments."

3. Evolution of the Dorm Collection

Over the years, Room 422 has refined its products to better serve dorm residents. Frances discusses the key elements of her collection, emphasizing versatility and functionality tailored to the unique constraints of dorm living.

Taryn [06:09]: "We offer a mix of headboards, bed skirts, pillows, and all the twin bedding you need to coordinate."

Notably, the oversized Dutch Euro pillow stands out as a multifaceted accessory, serving both as a headboard alternative and a supportive bolster for studying or lounging.

Taryn [07:02]: "It's nice to have one big pillow that you can lean up against."

4. Collaboration with Ballard Designs

The partnership between Room 422 and Ballard Designs is explored in depth. Frances explains how the collaboration was born from a desire to create a cohesive and stylish dorm collection that harmonizes with Ballard's existing bedding lines.

Taryn [10:33]: "We looked at Ballard's bedding to incorporate their color inspiration into our designs."

The collection features a balanced palette of solids, stripes, and chic florals, each meticulously designed to offer variety without overwhelming the limited space of a dorm room.

Taryn [12:07]: "We chose three different florals to hit a lot of different looks so that there's something for everyone."

One of the standout features is the reversible oversized pillow, offering dual patterns to adapt to changing tastes throughout the semester.

Taryn [12:18]: "We did those reversible or double-sided. So you're getting two looks for one pillow."

5. Dorm Decorating Essentials and Tips

Frances provides a comprehensive checklist of essentials for dorm decorating, emphasizing the importance of maximizing limited space while creating a comfortable and personalized environment.

a. Bedding Choices

Quality bedding is paramount, as dorm rooms are multifunctional spaces. Frances advises against "throwaway" bedding, recommending durable and easy-to-clean fabrics.

Taryn [20:08]: "You don't want to buy just throwaway bedding. I do think something durable and easy to clean is a big thing."

b. Headboards and Bed Skirts

The collection's headboards and bed skirts are highlighted as pivotal elements that tie the room together. Frances suggests investing in these pieces as they are unique to the dorm market and offer both aesthetic and functional benefits.

Taryn [42:30]: "I think the headboard really goes a long way. It softens the room and you can't find it just everywhere."

c. Storage Solutions

Maximizing storage is crucial in dorm settings. Frances recommends using storage cubes with multiple functionalities, such as serving as stepping stools or extra seating.

Taryn [34:10]: "A storage cube serves a lot of purposes. It's very versatile."

d. Lighting and Art

Soft lighting can transform the starkness of dorm lighting into a more homey atmosphere. Adding art to walls, especially in dorms with minimalistic or bland backdrops, can significantly enhance the room's ambiance.

Taryn [34:18]: "A lamp really softens the room and makes it feel more homey."

e. Rugs and Flooring

Rugs are essential for softening hard floors like linoleum or commercial carpeting, adding warmth and style to the space.

Taryn [36:02]: "A rug goes a long way under bed bins and adds comfort to the room."

f. Coordinating with Roommates

Frances emphasizes the importance of coordinating with roommates to ensure a harmonious and personalized space without overwhelming the limited area.

Taryn [27:48]: "Sometimes you want to design together or just align on colors and patterns."

6. Budgeting and Investment Priorities

Frances advises on strategic budgeting, suggesting that while flexibility is key, certain items merit a higher investment due to their lasting impact and uniqueness.

Taryn [41:12]: "Everyone’s budget is different, but the headboard and bed skirt are splurge-worthy as they complete the room's look."

By offering items individually rather than in sets, the collection allows students to prioritize their spending based on their specific needs and budgets.

Taryn [41:12]: "Each item is sold individually. So if you want to splurge on one thing, you can and then be creative with other items."

7. Transitioning Beyond Freshman Year

The conversation moves to how dorm essentials can transcend the freshman year, maintaining their functionality and style in various living situations, such as sorority houses or first apartments.

Taryn [39:11]: "Storage cubes and appliques live forever and have a lot of uses beyond the dorm."

Frances points out that the oversized pillows and storage solutions remain relevant, ensuring that investments made in the first year continue to offer value in subsequent years.

Taryn [40:05]: "They live forever and serve multiple purposes."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Caroline [00:34]: "We're launching a dorm collection and our guest this week is Frances Lacefield Hovis."

• Taryn [01:55]: "We decided to make my own bedding...just Velcros directly to the wall."

• Taryn [06:09]: "We offer a mix of headboards, bed skirts, pillows, and all the twin bedding you need to coordinate."

• Taryn [10:33]: "We looked at Ballard's bedding to incorporate their color inspiration into our designs."

• Taryn [20:08]: "You don't want to buy just throwaway bedding."

• Taryn [34:10]: "A storage cube serves a lot of purposes. It's very versatile."

• Taryn [41:12]: "Each item is sold individually. So if you want to splurge on one thing, you can and then be creative with other items."

• Taryn [42:30]: "I think the headboard really goes a long way. It softens the room and you can't find it just everywhere."

• Taryn [39:11]: "Storage cubes and appliques live forever and have a lot of uses beyond the dorm."

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Conclusion

Episode 411 offers a comprehensive look into the dorm decorating landscape through the lens of Room 422's founder, Frances Lacefield Hovis. The collaboration with Ballard Designs brings forth a thoughtfully curated Dorm Room Collection that balances style, functionality, and affordability. From essential bedding choices to strategic storage solutions, listeners gain actionable insights to transform their dorm rooms into personalized sanctuaries. The episode not only highlights the importance of quality and coordination in dorm decorating but also celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit driving Room 422's success.

For those interested in exploring the new Dorm Room Collection, Room 422 can be found at room422.com and on Instagram @room422. The collaboration pieces are available at ballardesigns.com.

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Happy decorating!

Transcript

[Caroline]

Welcome to how to Decorate from Ballard Designs, a weekly podcast all about the trials and triumphs of decorating and redecorating your home. I'm Caroline. I'm on the marketing team.

[Taryn]

And I'm Taryn and I'm a product designer.

[Liz]

I'm Liz. I head of the creative team. We're your hosts.

[Caroline]

Join the expert team at Ballard Designs for tips, tricks and tales from interior designers, stylists and other talents in the design world.

[Taryn]

Plus, we'll answer your decorating dilemmas at.

[Caroline]

The end of each episode.

[Liz]

We love answering your questions, so don't forget to email [e-mail] now, on with the show.

[Caroline]

Well, we have some big news this week to share. We're launching a dorm collection and our guest this week is Frances Lacefield Hovis. She is the owner of room 422 and our latest partner in our dorm collection. In 2015, you started your own dorm brand and you make bed skirts, headboards, all the accoutrements for dorm.

[Taryn]

Yeah.

[Caroline]

So we're thrilled to to welcome you, chat with you all dorm, and also to announce our collection, which all of the pieces are coordinated back to our bedding. And it's a whole sort of mix and match. You know, we've got headboards, bed skirts, pillows, and then all the twin bedding that you need to coordinate. And it's so cute. And we're thrilled to have you here to pick your brain about everything, you know, people need to consider when outfitting their dorm.

[Taryn]

Well, thank you so much for having me, and I really am so excited to be here and just for the whole collaboration in general, I'm really excited. I think it's going to be a great fit for both room 422 and Ballard. Yeah, it's been fun to work on and I'm excited for it to launch.

[Caroline]

Well, maybe start by telling us a little bit about room 422 and where, you know, how you got the idea for the company and where it all started.

[Taryn]

Right.

[Caroline]

Going to share this picture that you brought of your dorm room in the episode and in the show notes.

[Taryn]

So I went to the University of Alabama, and that's from 2010, Tutwiler. So, yep, Tutwiler, which is no longer around, they redid it. But when I was getting ready to go off to school, I could not find bedding that I liked. You know, the dorms have all these crazy rules where you can't drill or hammer or anything. You really can just stick things to the wal. My mom has A textile company. So we decided to make my own bedding. And so we made a slip covered foam headboard that has Velcro on the back. And so it just Velcros directly to the wall. Super lightweight. And so from there, I did it for me and my roommate and then a bunch of friends my freshman year. So that was 2010. And then from there, I just, every summer, would just keep doing it for friends, and then my friends, little sisters. And then when I graduated, I didn't really know what I wanted to do. And so I was like, mom, you really need to make this a part of your business. Like, dorm bedding is really missing from the market. And she was like, you know, I already have a business. It's a really good idea, but you should do it. And so I was like, okay. Not really knowing how to start a business, but I decided to go full time with that in February of 2015. So that was kind of how I started. And then just grew it from there very organically. I would travel and do trunk shows.

[Caroline]

Oh, that's cool.

[Taryn]

Yeah. So I started in Atlanta just because I had. I'm from Atlanta. And so I had connections of, you know, knowing girls that were going off to school. And so I would host a trunk show at this girl's house. She'd invite all of her friends. And then my first year, literally, the girl would be like, hey, my roommate lives in Birmingham. You should go to Birmingham. So I'd call her roommate in Birmingham, talk to her, talk to her mom, and be like, tell her what I did. And she'd be like, okay, great. Can you come tomorrow? I'd be like, sure. Pack my car up, go to Birmingham. And then it just kind of led me, like, one place to the other. Then the next summer, I would be a little bit more organized, plan it out. Not just like, get to a place and call their roommates. So really I did trunk shows for about the first six or seven years. And then in 2020, I had 42 shows planned and Covid canceled every single show.

[Liz]

Wow.

[Taryn]

And I was like, oh, my God, my business is over. Like, what am I gonna do? And so this is when we were all on lockdown. I made my dining room a dorm room. I brought everything home and set up a dorm room. And I would have virtual appointments or virtual shows. And so I would like FaceTime with these girls and just had all the samples and just show em beds. I'm surprised my husband was not like, you are crazy. What are you doing? But so that was in 2020. And then from there, we stopped doing trunk shows. Um, which really was such a blessing. Cause now I'm married and have kids, and that just. We would go on the road for eight weeks at a time.

[Caroline]

Yeah. Wow.

[Liz]

That's a lot.

[Taryn]

Yeah. So we basically make our way to Texas and back. It was really like, I would focus on the Southeast.

[Caroline]

Okay.

[Taryn]

Um, and now with the power of the Internet and social media, I can, you know, reach a way larger audience without traveling, which is so nice.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

Um, but that was kind of how I got started.

[Caroline]

Um, so. Interesting. Oh, my gosh. I bet. Okay. I have so many questions about the trunk shows, because I bet you learn so much about your customers. You know, these girls going off to college and, like, what they needed. And so maybe walk us through, like, okay, what are some of. What are the key elements in your p. You know, collection. Your pieces, and how has that evolved over the years?

[Taryn]

Because. Yeah, so we've definitely tweaked some of our items just through the years. But so what I would do for the trunk shows is I would take a few of the headboards and the pillows, and we offer a. We call it an oversized pillow. It's like a Dutch Euro. Cause we learned that not every dorm room is set up to have a headboard. You know, some. The wall's kind of funky. You don't have a full wall that you can attach it to. Or sometimes they're, like, you know, pushed up against a wall, but more like a day. So people will use the oversized pillow as a headboard sometimes.

[Caroline]

Okay.

[Liz]

These pillows are really amazing, though. They're pretty much the full width of a twin bed.

[Taryn]

Yes.

[Liz]

So they can act as a headboard, or you can kind of put it off to the side and kind of make it a daybed.

[Taryn]

Yeah, exactly. So it's 40 inches.

[Caroline]

It's almost like a chicer version of, like, that boyfriend pillow.

[Taryn]

The husband pillow.

[Caroline]

Yes.

[Taryn]

Or boyfriend pillow.

[Caroline]

Yeah, the pillow with the arms on the side.

[Taryn]

Yeah. Yes, Yes. I had a big group, green, furry one.

[Caroline]

But it's, like, a stylish version of that, right?

[Taryn]

Yes. It's nice to just have one big pillow that you can lean up against. You know, you're in your bed a lot, so.

[Caroline]

Yeah, it adds some support that's, like, firm enough to truly lean against.

[Taryn]

Right.

[Caroline]

If you're studying or.

[Taryn]

And if you can't have a headboard, it's nice to have something between your head and the wall that's long enough to really cover. So, yeah, we would take all these items and we would. We took a little mini display bed, and I would set up the display bed and then have the other samples that they could kind of mix and match the items with.

[Caroline]

So. Cool. Okay. And then you've got a bed. So you've got the headboard, the Dutch pillow, the bed skirt.

[Taryn]

Yeah. So the bed skirt, which. We've tweaked that over the years too, but it. A lot of times the dorm beds are pushed up against one wall, so you really only see one long side and then the foot of the bed. So we make them in a set of three. Three panels. So you put two panels on one long side and then one on the foot of the bed. And so we do that so you can get two and, like, under the bed easily. You know, we've tried it with just one long side, and it was just hard to flip that whole piece up. So having a split in the middle. Cause a lot of times the reason the bed's lofted is for storage underneath.

[Caroline]

Right.

[Taryn]

So that makes it, you know, easier to get to and from whatever's under.

[Caroline]

Yeah. Your plastic bins or whatever you put under there.

[Liz]

And these are not your everyday bed skirts, too, because they are. They are super long. They're like 30 plus inches long. So that you can put the twin bed on a riser.

[Taryn]

Yes.

[Liz]

And put storage underneath.

[Taryn]

Right. And we now make them with. They have. Each panel has three sets of ties, so that way you can kind of adjust the height, depending. If you add a riser that's a little bit taller, you need it to be longer, you can lower it a little bit or vice versa. That's great. So that way you can kind of adjust the height to where you need it for your bed.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Liz]

Oh, that's so smart.

[Taryn]

Yeah, yeah. And it helps, like, you know, keep the room looking clean. The rooms are small.

[Liz]

Right.

[Taryn]

You want stuff under there. Don't want it to look so junky. So it keeps it nice and clean. But then you can. Whatever you want under there.

[Caroline]

Right. You have a lot of stuff you gotta fit under there. So covering it with the fabric, it just makes it look a little more polished, a little tidier. Yeah, exactly.

[Liz]

The space is definitely at a premium.

[Taryn]

Yes, yes. You gotta maximize every inch.

[Caroline]

Well, the thing I love about your brand and the collaboration is the fabrics on the headboards are so fun. Of course, your mom being a textile designer, you know, you're gonna have very high standards, I imagine, for pattern. And so it's not just, you know, we do have a solid white, I think in five colors, it's a solid white with a colored trim cording. But then we've got three stripes and three really chic florals. One is like sort of a hot pink, one's sort of a blue. Then one's kind of a greenish, like, mineral color. And they're just such pretty floral. So tell us about how the collaboration came about.

[Taryn]

Yeah, so we. Well, we looked at Ballard's bedding, you know, what y'all offer in bedding, because we really wanted it to pare back so that we could incorporate the. Those selections of shams and coverlets and all that. So that's where we pulled the color inspo from. And then from there, you know, we. We wanted to do a solid with a pipe just because that's a staple. And then I felt like a stripe. For us at least, or me personally, I love a stripe. And I sometimes feel like a stripe can serve as a solid, but giving you a little bit more pattern, but not too, too bold. You know, you can mix and match other patterns with it without it feeling too busy. Right. So we colored the stripes back to the solids again. And then we did want to offer, you know, a little bit more of a bold pattern. And we felt like florals have just been so in and, you know, great. So we did choose three different florals. One's kind of an all over floral. It's pink like you said. And then there's more of a block print floral.

[Liz]

Yeah. And that's kind of the indigo colored one.

[Taryn]

And then there's one that's. It's kind of like a line drawing type. It's paint, it's hand painted. And that one incorporates the kind of the mineral, and I think it has a little bit of like a light sagey green in it. So we tried to kind of hit a lot of different looks so that there's something for everyone.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

So. And then we did an oversized pillow that kind of coordinated back to those. And we did those reversible or like double sided. So you kind of are getting two looks for.

[Caroline]

Yeah, I love that. Yeah.

[Taryn]

You know, you might change your mind. What you, like, halfway through the.

[Caroline]

Yeah, right.

[Taryn]

Semester or whenever, but. So we did the stripe on one side and then we did a, like, smaller scale leopard in the colors, which I think was fun and, you know, kind of out there, so I think it'll be fun.

[Liz]

Well, at Ballard, we really believe that leopards are neutral.

[Taryn]

Yes, exactly.

[Liz]

So we're good.

[Caroline]

You know, it's really just a polka dot. It really is like A little polka dot with a little extra sassiness.

[Taryn]

Yeah, it's really cute.

[Caroline]

Yeah. And it's a. It's a pretty small scale.

[Taryn]

It's pretty, like. Yeah, it's not, I would say, subtle, because it's not subtle, but it's not.

[Liz]

It's not screaming.

[Taryn]

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[Liz]

It's not going on safari.

[Caroline]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Taryn]

Correct.

[Caroline]

So, okay, let's get back to the trunk shows, because I love this visual of you, like, traveling around with your. With your stuff and setting it all up. So what sort of things did you learn, especially early on in your business?

[Taryn]

Early on, it was. Honestly, I think it was, like, some of the most fun, but it was also, like, looking back and, like, that was so crazy. I would just show up to a random person's house and they would host a show for me. And I had literally never met them, maybe talked to them on the phone the day before. And we have, you know, a few people in common, but. So that part was really crazy, but also, like, really exciting and really fun to just really, really organically grow my business. And it really just took me, you know, a lot of places that I probably wouldn't have gone. But I think that shows you too. Like, in the dorm, like, you're also. Every girl is. Most of them have a roommate.

[Caroline]

Right.

[Taryn]

So, you know, if you're working with one, you're really working with the other too.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

So that's what led me to so many places. And I think what was fun, and I think we offer in this collection, too, is. Doesn't have to be so matchy. Matchy.

[Caroline]

Yes.

[Taryn]

So, like. Because we have a solid that matches back to a stripe that also matches to this floral, you know, say we're roommates, and I'm like, I want the stripe. And you're like, well, I like the floral. There's colorways that match together. And, you know, you can bring it all together. And your room looks beautiful, but it doesn't necessarily have to be the exact badge.

[Liz]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

So that was really fun to kind of have options to work with these girls and let them kind of pick out what they want too. Not just your roommate picked this. So here's what she wants you to get. You can kind of do their own thing too.

[Caroline]

Yeah. And you could have, like, maybe the same, like, quilt and the monogram pillow, but different headboards in the same, you know, similar color and.

[Taryn]

Yeah.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

And.

[Caroline]

Well, it's so fun. Cause I. Trying to think back on, you know, when you figure out who your roommate is and you're leading up to college and, like, the spring semester. I feel like that's kind of the first interaction you have with your roommate is working on your. Picking out your bedding and your bed stuff together. You know, like, sending pictures back and forth and collaborating in that way before you've even met the person in real life.

[Taryn]

I mean, I feel like we. A lot of times were where the roommates would come. I mean, they had talked before, but they would come meet to, like, pick out their bedding together. So we were kind of there for that initial.

[Liz]

Oh, that's so sweet.

[Taryn]

Which is so fun. And, you know, going to college can be stressful, but I feel like picking your bedding was like, a fun.

[Caroline]

Yes.

[Taryn]

Not so stressful, or we were trying to make it less stressful, and so we were. I feel like we got to see the fun interactions of girls meeting. And, you know, they're excited. Yeah. And they're excited to go to school, and they're excited to pick out the bedding. Their moms are excited.

[Caroline]

Yeah. Talk to us about the. The mom and daughter angle. It's so fun that you, like, it was a little bit of a. A collaboration between your mom and you.

[Taryn]

Yes.

[Caroline]

And then now you're kind of creating that for other people as well.

[Taryn]

For sure. So. Yes. First of all, my mom helped me. I would not be here without my mom. So, like, I am so grateful for all the help she's ever given me and still gives me to this day. And that was really fun to do this together, too. All of room 422. But in terms of the daughter and the mom purchasing room 422, I think it's the daughter that is living with it, but I think the mom is just as involved. She wants her daughter's room to be beautiful. It's a lot of times, it's the first time she's leaving her daughter. So I feel like what I've seen is it's a little piece of. Or a little way for her to be like, okay, her room's beautiful. Like, she feels at home. Like, I feel a little bit better about leaving her Right. In a random place in a dorm room that's not always so glamorous.

[Caroline]

With strangers.

[Taryn]

With strangers, yeah.

[Liz]

Setting up for success.

[Caroline]

Yeah, exactly.

[Liz]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

You know, I think, like, the mom. It's one way that she can make sure that there's a safe. Safe place for her to come home to and, like, feels comfortable. So I think that is something fun to see, like, that they're just as involved in care, just as much how it looks. But we've seen. We've seen a lot of mother and daughter reaction or, you know, interactions, maybe.

[Caroline]

The good, the bad, the ugly.

[Taryn]

Yeah, you know, I really don't. I wouldn't say we've seen anything. Anything horrible. Maybe just like, disagreeing on a color or a pattern, you know, as plenty of father daughters do.

[Caroline]

Oh, totally.

[Taryn]

Yeah.

[Caroline]

Yeah. Well, talk to me about making. You said in the early years that you would. You were making the headboards yourself, so talk to me about that.

[Taryn]

I. Well, I was not sewing them, but. Okay. Okay. I was using my mom's workroom, but when I did first start my first year, I used. I bought fabric from my mom and was making them, and then from there, we kind of felt like we needed to change it up a little. So then I did start designing my own fabric just to kind of set it apart, which was a really great. I probably wouldn't have done it. I don't have a, like, design background, but I do love that part now, so I think that part's fun to actually design the part, the patterns and so I was not doing the sewing, though I did go to sewing camp one time, but I was not sewing.

[Caroline]

I was picturing you, like, at home on your floor of your bedroom, like, making these headboards. So.

[Taryn]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I was, like, picking the fabrics and putting the collections together, but I was not doing the sewing.

[Caroline]

Okay, got it.

[Taryn]

No.

[Caroline]

Well, talk to us about, you know, if you've got the headboard or I guess maybe or the Dutch pillow, but if you. You've got your sort of bed skirt, you've got the headboard. But what about the bedding? Because I do feel like maybe there's a difference in what type of bedding makes sense for a dorm. That differs from maybe your bedroom at home or maybe. Maybe it should be the same. I don't know. What do you think about dressing your bed?

[Taryn]

You know, I think you spend a lot of time in your bed, so I do think that you want decent bedding, whether that is, like, top of the line or middle of the line, whatever your budget is. But I do think you want. You don't want to buy just, like, throwaway bedding. I mean, you're there a lot, you.

[Caroline]

Know, especially in a dorm room. There is no other place.

[Taryn]

Right.

[Caroline]

That's where you're sitting. That's where you're eating. That's where you're sleeping. Like.

[Taryn]

Yeah.

[Caroline]

That's where you're hosting friends.

[Taryn]

I can Say when your friends come over, they're all on your bed. So I mean, I do think something like somewhat durable, you know, or to be able to clean, I would say is a big thing. I feel like a lot of people are scared of white, but I mean, white, you can. For me at least. I think white's really easy to clean. Yeah, but, you know, maybe not like hand embroidered bedding. That's right.

[Liz]

Machine wash. Too delicate.

[Taryn]

Yeah, Nothing too.

[Caroline]

Put it in the dorm washer and dryer, Right?

[Taryn]

Correct. But I think you're there a lot, so I don't think it's something you should like, totally skimp out on.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

So.

[Caroline]

Well, do you need, like, I would think that like the basic would be sheets, bedspread, or like malice quilt, something and then a duve.

[Taryn]

Again, I think it's like total preference. But a lot of dorms don't have your own, like, air unit. Like you can kind of vary. But so sometimes, or at least for me, it's like sometimes it's cold, sometimes it's hot. I feel like a sheet, you know, a coverlet, and then even just having a duvet at the end. So then you do have something like heavier if it's cold or not, or a blanket at least. So.

[Caroline]

Okay. And then you, you know, y'all have the big Dutch pillow. And also we've got a cute. I don't know if we did we mentioned that. The cute little monogrammed pillow. I don't think so. What about, like, pillows? How many pillows is too many in a dorm room? Is there such a thing? We have this debate about regular bedrooms.

[Taryn]

I am maybe a lot more space. I'm not a good person to ask if I do not believe there's too many pillows, but I do think in a dorm, you know, you do need to be mindful the room is small. You don't want your floor to be covered in pillows at all times. We see a lot, you know, the oversized pillow, the applique may be a.

[Caroline]

Lumbar and like your actual pillow you're sleeping on, correct?

[Taryn]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And the pillow you're sleeping on, so. And maybe, maybe that's too much for some people. So, you know, I feel like some people just do the sleeping pillow, then the oversized pillow, and then just one accent pillow in front of that. But I don't know that you want to like bombard your bed with pillows. I would, but I don't know the average person would.

[Caroline]

Okay, well, I'm looking at your. Your freshman dorm. You've Got two sleeping pillows, A large patterned pillow. It's not like a Dutch pillow.

[Taryn]

No, I did not have the oversized for.

[Liz]

Right.

[Taryn]

My. That was later on.

[Caroline]

She had a headboard.

[Taryn]

I did have a headboard, yes.

[Caroline]

And the applique pillow that is in our collection, essentially. I mean, it's a different color, but.

[Taryn]

Yeah, the applique. That was the first time I ever. We ever made that applique was for.

[Caroline]

For your freshman dorm?

[Taryn]

Yeah, for my.

[Caroline]

You even have this. This super cute, like, cafe curtain kind of. Well, I guess it's not a cafe, but a curtain.

[Taryn]

Yes.

[Caroline]

That. How did you get the measurement for that?

[Taryn]

You know, they.

[Caroline]

They gave it to you?

[Taryn]

Yeah.

[Caroline]

And you made a custom curtain?

[Taryn]

I did make a custom curtain.

[Caroline]

Adorable. Does it have a pinch pleat? It's hard to tell. Looks like it might have a pinch pleat.

[Taryn]

I. I love this. I don't know. I'd have to look. I do know it's on, like, attention rod with command hooks because, you know, we had to be creative.

[Liz]

Right.

[Taryn]

How we hung it. But I'm sure I tried to fake some.

[Liz]

I mean, did you have any idea, freshman year that you were setting yourself up for an entire business?

[Taryn]

No. Oh, my gosh. No, no, no. I. Okay, so I went into college thinking I wanted to be an interior designer. Got there and, like. Or maybe I was working on something at home, and my mom's like, okay, well, go. Go pick out white paint. And I was like. I called her and was like, I can't pick out white paint. Like, there's 1 million whites, and I can't pick out the right one. And she was like, okay, well, if you can't pick out white paint, we might need to rethink this.

[Caroline]

That means that's hard.

[Taryn]

I, like, had a meltdown. This is in high school. So this was at orientation. So I come back re. Change my mind. I'm like. My mom had done some work for some events, and so I had gotten to go work for them, and I was like, I want to do event planning. Like, that was it. So I made, like, my whole four years in college. Majored in hospitality, focused in events, interned for, like, the athletic department, would do events at school, all that. And then I had an internship with a event planner who I still love to this day. And we did all weddings all summer, and we had one in the Bahamas. And I called her and was like, my mom and was like, I'm never getting married. I don't want a wedding, and I don't wanna do event planning anymore. And she's like, okay, well, you have one semester of school left. Oh, my gosh, you're not changing your major. And I was like, okay. And she's like, you're gonna graduate and we're gonna figure it out. I was like, okay. So I was doing this on the side, and I loved doing it. I thought it was fun. But I didn't really know much about, A, running a business, but B, the, like, manufacturing side, anything like that. And so I was like, mom, you really need to do this. And she was like, no, I'm busy. But, like, it really is such a great idea. You should do it. And I was like, okay. And so I just went for it.

[Caroline]

And, well, that hospitality Brie helped you out with the trunk shows. Yeah, exactly.

[Liz]

Seriously.

[Taryn]

Exactly.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Liz]

And I love how supportive and just real your mom is with you.

[Taryn]

Yes. I mean, they. Both my parents are so supportive. Have been from day one. I could not do it without them. But, yeah, they were like, just go for it. Just try it. So.

[Caroline]

Well, you know, your mom's an entrepreneur, so that helps. She can, you know, maybe helped instill that entrepreneurial spirit in you. Yeah, yeah.

[Taryn]

It's in her blood, so it's in my blood, I guess.

[Caroline]

Well, how do you think, you know, say, some of our listeners, their daughters have just maybe picked a college or found their roommate. And, like, what is, do you think a starting point? I mean, do you need to start with the, like, sort of guidelines from your school? Can you just pick stuff out? Are there things people should take into account before they go shopping?

[Taryn]

You know, I think definitely look on your school website. You know, a lot of times they'll. Each school varies on, like, giving the dorm assignments, so you might not know necessarily which dorm you're in. But I would say overall, they all have relatively, like, the same regulations, if you will. Like, they don't want you drilling in the walls or hammering in the walls, but you can stick things to the walls. So you can use command strips and all of that, the Velcro. But in terms of, like, you might not necessarily know how your bed is set up in each room. They definitely show you. A lot of them show you pictures online. You can do, like, a virtual tour, or if you're at the campus, they. Most dorms have, like, a sample room that you can go in.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

So I feel like you can kind of get a gist from that of what you can have or what you can't have. So I feel like definitely check that out before you just start, like, fine. Whatever you want. But then I feel like for roommates, you know, sometimes just like talking like, do they want to design their dorm? Or they're like, no, that's not my vibe. Like first I would get on that same page. Yeah, right. And then from there I feel like kind of figuring out the color or the look that they're going for. And then I feel like they just kind of from there it'll naturally figure out what they want, like the look to be.

[Liz]

Have you ever, have you guided roommates into like how to design their space?

[Taryn]

You know, we'll definitely give suggestions of like, you know, if someone's like, where should I get a rug? Or you know, and like people, some people want like side tables in between the beds and things like that. So we'll definitely give recommendations there. I do not do the installs. I have been asked. I just feel like move in day is a little crazy.

[Caroline]

And yeah, you're only one person.

[Taryn]

And there's just a lot going on. It's a small space, there's a lot. You know, they don't need an extra body there. So we do not do the full like install or design. But we'll definitely like help with suggestions of or like lead them where to look for things because you know, we don't offer everything for your dorm.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Liz]

So yeah, that's why we're partnering.

[Taryn]

Exactly.

[Caroline]

Yes, exactly.

[Taryn]

And like that's one thing I think too for this collaboration. I feel like Ballard, you know, does have a lot to offer. The bedding art, a lamp, a little side table. So it can serve as a one stop shop for someone which there's a lot of people that want that, that like to just check it off a list and just get it all in once.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

So I think that that'll be a really great, you know, option.

[Caroline]

Well, the thing that I love about the collection really is that you've kind of taken the guesswork out of it to where you. It's pretty easy. If say you pick like the cornflower floral headboard. Right. Then you can pretty much look for any bedding that comes in that cornflower color. And it's going to coordinate back like it's going to be close enough to, if not match look good together. And then you can pick whatever quilt or duvet or sheet set you want and you can kind of play with it. And there's still a lot of options where it's not cookie cutter, but it's not. You're not going to pull your hair out being like, is this sheet or this quilt going to look good with the headboard, or, you know, match to the duvet, like, it's a little bit more.

[Taryn]

Right. Or you're not going to, like, fall in love with this headboard. And then the blue, and you're like, I can't find a matching blue cover. Like, you know, I feel like Ballard's done such a great job of. Here's the blue that matches. You know, maybe it's not matchy matchy exactly, but it.

[Caroline]

It's close enough.

[Taryn]

It's close enough, and it looks great with it, so I feel like that is a big selling point, too. That will be very helpful. You know, they don't want a million options.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

I've learned that. I. When I first started, I let. I had all these fabrics, and I would just let them customize everything, and people would get overwhelmed. They don't need endless options.

[Liz]

Yeah, no. This is already stressful, and, like, you.

[Caroline]

Have a lot to consider.

[Liz]

A lot to consider. Just going into a new school, a new place.

[Taryn]

Yeah.

[Caroline]

You gotta pack up all your clothes. You gotta bring a. Like, all of your things. Pick classes, meet new people. Like, there's a lot to do.

[Taryn]

There's a lot of decisions to make, so it's. I think it's better to have options for them.

[Caroline]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, it's so nice, because I know, you know, we've had Amy, our bedding merchant, on the podcast, and we've talked all about mixing and matching your bedding. You know, a quilt and a duvet and how to make. Use different textures and all this stuff. And she's done such a good job, like, creating pieces that all coordinate and then that. Then they all coordinate to the headboard. So it's just. It's like a very seamless transition. That's. It looks so good, too, in the photography and how we've all shown it together. So y'all did a great job pulling it off.

[Taryn]

Thank you. I think it looks great. I'm excited to see it.

[Caroline]

Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

[Frances Lacefield Hovis]

It's almost time for some dilemmas, but before we get started, here's just a little reminder to email your questions to podcastallardesigns.net be sure to include photos of your space so our talented designer guests can give you specific feedback. And.

[Caroline]

Okay.

[Frances Lacefield Hovis]

We're excited to try something new. We would love for you to explain your question in a voice memo that we can play on the air. You can absolutely email your question like we've been doing for the last six.

[Caroline]

Years, but we'd love to Hear your.

[Frances Lacefield Hovis]

Voice and hear your question in your own words.

[Caroline]

So to do that, you'll just record.

[Frances Lacefield Hovis]

A voice memo on your phone with your question, attach that voice memo to an email with some photos, and send your email to podcast ballardesign. We'll play your question on an upcoming episode and have a designer answer it for you. All right, on with the show.

[Caroline]

Okay, so I think we talked at one point about a checklist.

[Taryn]

What.

[Caroline]

What are those checklist items?

[Liz]

I. Yeah, I would love to talk more about that. Like, what are some things that are essential beyond. Even beyond the bed?

[Taryn]

Yeah, beyond the bedding, you know. Okay. So all the bedding, I think a storage cube. Like I said, it's very versatile. It serves a lot of purposes. The beds are lofted, so you can use it as a stepping stool, which is nice to get up on. The bed has storage, extra seating. So I think a storage cube of some type is very nice. I had drawers under my bed. But some type of organization under your bed, I think is helpful to really maximize that space. Space under there, whether it's, you know, bins or. But just some type of organization under your bed, I think is really nice.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

I think lighting, you know, like a lamp in there, like, really helps. It has that, like, overhead fluorescent light.

[Liz]

And nobody looks good in that.

[Taryn]

Right. And just, like, lamp light really softens it, makes it feel more homey. So I think just adding some lamp light goes a long way.

[Caroline]

Yeah. And just not always, like, looking in your bin for something. Maybe you're trying to watch a movie.

[Taryn]

Right.

[Liz]

Right.

[Caroline]

You're, you know, socializing with your girlfriends and you don't want it to be quite so, like, task and like any.

[Liz]

Anything that can bring the comforts of home. And I feel like lighting really does that, you know, because there's. There's definitely a homesick component, for sure. Yeah.

[Taryn]

And I think, you know, adding art to the wall, I think goes a long way, too. I think those. A lot of the walls are not beautiful. A lot of them are cinder block walls. You don't choose the color. They're not that beautiful. White. That I could not decide.

[Caroline]

It's not white dove.

[Taryn]

It's not white dove. So I think, like, adding some art on the walls helps a lot. And then just like any small thing, like if you sleep with a sound machine, just, like, try to make it feel a little homier. Goes a long way, too.

[Liz]

Gosh, I'm. This is making me think, too, because. Okay. Because I've got a kid that's going to College in a year. A year from now. So, like, thinking about, like, these are also not just a checklist for like the things you need to bring, but the things you need to talk to your roommate about.

[Caroline]

Yeah, Like, I know, it's like I'm.

[Liz]

Like a sound machine.

[Taryn]

Yeah.

[Caroline]

What if your roommate is not like the rainforest sound?

[Taryn]

True, true. Right. Please check with roommate first.

[Liz]

Yeah, yeah.

[Caroline]

Wow.

[Liz]

The whole psychology of that.

[Taryn]

Yeah. But I think a rug too. That was what I was. I feel like a rug helps soften the room too.

[Caroline]

Well, you know, you've either got like that horrible gray, like, commercial carpet, or it's just like linoleum floors. Those are your two options, right?

[Liz]

Most likely linoleum.

[Caroline]

Yeah. You know, I think we had like that commercial, like, carpet situation, which is better than linoleum, but not. Not great.

[Taryn]

Yeah, we definitely had the linoleum.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Liz]

Oh, this is flip flops.

[Taryn]

Yeah. Oh. So I feel like a rug goes.

[Caroline]

A long way under cab, under bed bins. But any other, like, storage. That's like, cute. Or should you try to hide your storage as much as possible?

[Taryn]

No, I think, like, try to maximize your space. So if you have a space like in between your beds, I would try to find a piece that fit that does have extra storage. Just you can put snacks in there or I don't, you know, whatever your toiletries. But I think definitely trying to maximize or find other ways to have more storage is nice.

[Caroline]

Yeah, Well, I guess some. Some dorms have more, like, built in storage than others. Yeah, I suppose it would really determine or be determined by your, you know, wherever you're living.

[Taryn]

Right.

[Caroline]

Yeah. Any other tips for, you know, moms before they're sending their daughters off? Have I. You know, because you've had such an interact so many interactions with parents and daughters together, any other advice you might have for some of our listeners?

[Taryn]

You know, I really think, like, try to have fun with the dorm or picking out the bedding part and move in day. Try to enjoy and like, take a deep breath and, you know, if the perfect piece of art didn't come in and it's coming in the next week, like, it's gonna be okay. You know, things like that. But I think too, try to just make the room comfortable. I think it makes the mom feel better and the daughter feel better. You know, like leaving your child for the first time, I mean, that's emotional. I can't imagine leaving my child. So I think if you can leave them in a room that you feel confident that it feels like a piece of home. You know, it's like she's in this beautiful room that she feels like she's at home. I think it helps the mom, like, at ease a little bit, you know, Totally not just like, dropped her off.

[Liz]

My mom historically has helped me move a few different times, and every. Every time she can't leave until the drapes are hung. And then she's like, okay.

[Caroline]

Oh, well that's great, because that's a terrible task.

[Taryn]

Yeah, that is so helpful.

[Liz]

Do it like, so the drapes are hung. And then she's like, okay, I can leave now.

[Caroline]

Remember, I feel like I might have kicked my parents out. Was like, let me do that. I don't know. I don't really remember them unpacking me. No, but I mean.

[Liz]

No, no, no. There was no unpacking, but the drapes were hung.

[Taryn]

Yeah. I love.

[Caroline]

That's funny. Okay, what about after freshman year? What happens to can or have you seen, like, what do you do to transition?

[Taryn]

Yes. So, you know, depending on what their next, like, situation of living is, like, if they go into another, like, a lot of sorority houses have this similar twin bed setup, so we have a lot of girls that just reuse it again. In some schools, you live in a dorm again, so it works perfectly for that. But, you know, sometimes they are moving into a full or a queen size bed. And I feel like, you know, the twin headboard doesn't necessarily work for a larger size bed, but they take the oversized pillow, the applique, the storage cube. I feel like lives forever.

[Caroline]

Yeah. That's going with you to your first apartment too.

[Taryn]

All of the time. I have two storage cubes in my kids playroom, so I'm like, they live forever. They have a lot of uses. Um, but. And I feel like appliques can live forever too.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

You know, they're very timeless and pretty and you can put it on any size bed. You could add another one if you wanted. Two on a bed. So I feel like there's. We have a lot of customers that do, you know, take their bedding with them. And you know, if they want a full size bed or a queen size headboard, we do offer that. So. Yeah, if people come back for that too.

[Liz]

Oh, that's great.

[Taryn]

Yeah.

[Liz]

You know, you can probably. Because the beds are so lofted, you could probably use a queen or a full size quilt.

[Taryn]

Yeah. As well. Oh, we do have.

[Liz]

Yeah. And then you're really investing in your bedding for a longer time.

[Taryn]

Yeah, we have had people do that, you know, so that they can use it more than just once of twin.

[Caroline]

So they would buy like a twin sheet, but the matte lizet and the duvet, they'd buy a queen.

[Taryn]

Smart. So then you can take it, right?

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

Take it with you.

[Caroline]

Yeah, yeah. And it, it'll drape so nicely over the end as well. Like it'll kind of hang over your bed skirt a little bit. Yeah. Like, do you have feelings about or any ideas about where to put your budget and like things to splurge on, things to save on?

[Taryn]

I think the budget, I think what's like really great about this collection is everyone. Well first, everyone's budget can be very different. Right. So it's like, I don't want to say a certain number is what you should budget for your bedding, but I think what's great about this collection is every single item is sold individually. So it's not a set. So it's not like a set price. If you want to splurge on one thing, you can and then be creative or find pillows or you know, other items somewhere else. So I think that's really nice and like really budget friendly for a wider audience. But then I think on the other side, it's really nice that Ballard can serve as a one stop shop. You know, like you can get everything for your dorm room all at once, which I think is so nice. Especially when they're like trying to do a million different things. But I think if I were to suggest, you know, one key piece, I think the headboard really goes a long way. It really softens the room. You can't find it just everywhere. You know, you can find a pillow a lot of places. You really can't find a dorm headboard just anywhere.

[Caroline]

Right.

[Taryn]

So I think that would probably be my number one item would be the headboard. I think the bed skirt also.

[Liz]

Yeah. You know, those that you're not finding really anywhere else you're not finding special.

[Taryn]

Right. And it really does like complete the look of your bed and really like ties your room together. So I think those two items are, you know, maybe splurge worthy of.

[Caroline]

Yeah, yeah.

[Taryn]

The collection.

[Caroline]

But yeah, I'm just, I love bedding, so I am like you, you're sleeping on it all the time. And so the bedding, to me, I mean obviously the headboard to your point, like it's not like you can go, you know, get one anywhere.

[Taryn]

Right.

[Caroline]

But I just love bedding and I feel like it's makes such a difference in your sleep and good quality bedding is like important I don't know.

[Taryn]

Yeah. That's sleep so important. So it's like, you want to be comfortable in your bed. You want to get a good night's sleep.

[Caroline]

So, yeah, we were thrilled to have you. Thank you for coming by.

[Taryn]

Thank you.

[Caroline]

We're so excited to launch the collection and for everybody to see it.

[Taryn]

Yeah.

[Caroline]

Can you tell everyone where they can find you and follow you?

[Taryn]

Room 422. We have a website, room422.com and then also on Instagram, just room422.

[Caroline]

Okay.

[Taryn]

And then the Ballard Collection will be.

[Liz]

Ballardesigns.com Storm all right.

[Taryn]

Yeah.

[Caroline]

Well, there you go. Thank you so much.

[Taryn]

Thank you.

[Caroline]

That's our show. And that's our show. You can find all of the show notes on our blog howtodecorate.com podcast to send in a decorating dilemma. Email your questions to podcastallarddesigns.net so we can help you with your space. And of course, be sure to follow us on social media alardesigns.

[Liz]

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. And please leave us a review. We'd love to hear your feedback.

[Caroline]

Until next time, happy decorating.